1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to footwear such as shoes, sandals and the like, and is particularly concerned with footwear having wheels in the heel region.
2. Related Art
Footwear with one wheel or a pair of wheels embedded in the sole at the heel region is known. The wearer of such footwear can choose to walk or run by tilting the feet forwards so that only the forward portion of the sole, without the wheel or wheels, engages the ground. In order to roll on the wheel or wheels, the wearer tilts their legs backwards with the front of the feet raised so that the wheel or wheels are in rolling engagement with the ground. Footwear with a single pair of external wheels extending on opposite sides of the heel region adjacent the rear wall of the footwear is also known. A similar rearwardly tilted stance must also be adopted for rolling on these wheels.
The stance required for rolling or wheeling on such footwear is not particularly stable and requires a significant amount of time to learn before the user is comfortable in such a stance. The rearward tilt of the legs also tends to cause some muscle strain.
Convertible roller footwear with removable wheels is also known, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,824 of Kim, for example. Rollers are removably inserted in axle openings on opposite sides of the sole of the shoe, with one pair of rollers located in the heel portion and the other pair located forward of the arch portion of the shoe.